I'd like to add some trivia here thanks to a site that doesn't have a link working properly, as hopefully the thread is to this board to what the "attempt to thoroughly reference the OT" thread on the General board. There's quite a bit of information that's not found on TMNTPedia in addition. It proves that you don't need to have the goofiness of the OT and still not have good pop culture references!
1. Things Change
The two police officers in the police car are actually Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. They created the Ninja Turtle franchise 1984.
This episode appears on the 2003 Ninja Turtle video game that's available for PlayStation 2, Nintendo GameCube, and XBOX.
The Purple Dragons first appeared in 1984 in the first ever Ninja Turtle comic book.
Michelangelo yells out "cowabunga" in this and in many future episodes. This was a very commonly used catchphrase in the original 1987 animation TV series.
In the original 1987 Ninja Turtle animated TV series, the Turtles fight punk thugs with tied connections to the Foot Clan, and then the Foot Clan members themselves. In this episode, the Turtles fight the Purple Dragons, which have direct ties to the Foot Clan, and then after that they fight the Foot Ninja Soldiers themselves.
2. A Better Mousetrap
First appearance of April O'Neil, restored in her original comic book roots as a scientist then an antique store owner.
First appearance of Baxter Stockman, restored in his original comic book roots.
This and the next episode is based on the second issue of the original Eastman and Laird's comic book series.
This episode is based on the "Things Change" level of the 2003 video game.
When Michelangelo says "let's leave the wall climbing to the guy in the red and blue tights, he's remembering Spiderman.
Michelangelo says "We need more power, Captain!" He's quoting Scotty from the TV series Star Trek.
When Michelangelo thinks of names to call home, he's referencing super hero domain names: "Turtle Cave" is Batman's "Bat Cave," "Sewer of Solitude," is Superman's "Fortress Of Solitude," "School for Gifted Reptiles," is X-Man's "School For Gifted Youngsters," and "The Hall Of Ninjustice" is the Justice Force's "The Hall Of Justice."
The label on the canister of ooze is labeled "TGRI" which is referenced in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: Secret Of The Oooze.
3. Attack Of The Mousers
This episode was adapted as Issue #3 of Dreamwave's TMNT comic. During the laser fight scene, the comic writers added the line, "does he expect us to talk?" "No Bond, he expects us to die," referencing the 1964 movie Goldfinger.
The line "can we keep her?" from Michelangelo's words, comes from his words in the first live-action movie.
4. Meet Casey Jones
Just like in the first original movie and Raphael comic book in 1987, Raphael was first to meet Casey Jones, while Casey Jones is beating up punk thugs.
In real life audiences were shocked, because Raphael did have intensions to kill Michelangelo, who showed great fear.
The previous Ninja Turtle TV series in 1987 and The Next Mutation in 1997, gave the turtles their own trademark vehicle. The 1987 aniamted TV series gave the turtles the Turtle Van (now called the Battle Shell), and in The Next Mutation gave Raphael his own motorcycle, just like in this series.
According to Casey Jones, he says that the warehouse where the Turtles keep the Battle Shell is on the corner of Eastman and Laird. Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird were the character creators and owners of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
The first appearance of Casey Jones, the Battle Shell, and the Shell Cycle.
When Raphael makes a sharp sideways stop with the Battle Shell, it comes from a classic anime called Akira (198
. Ironically, the voice of Kaneda from that anime is the same voice as Leonardo from the old Ninja Turtle animated TV series.
5. Nano
The Turtle try to dismantle the giant Nano robot with a trash compactor, which was similar on how to destroy the Terminator robots in the movie The Terminator. Then the Turtles dump the giant Nano robot into hot steal, which was how the Terminator robots were killed in Terminator 2: Judgement Day.
At the beginning of the episode, the Nano robots form a shape of a Pokeball from the 4Kids animation series Pokemon.
The Nano robots resemble Dregg's microbots from the 1987 animation TV series, that change shape and build/dismantle machines in short seconds.
Michelangelo says "I know it's been said before, but I got a bad feeling about this" which a character says this line in each of the Star Wars movies.
6. Darkness On The Edge Of Town
The protective glove looks to be for a left hand, giving the idea that Shredder is left-handed, considering he's the one who forged the Sword Of Tengu.
This episode appears in the first 2003 video game, but that level is titled "Tengu."
7. The Way Of Invisibility
Baxter has shown that he paid the price for the failure of the mousers, because his left eye is missing.
Casey and Raphael exchange insults, just like Casey and Donatello did in the first Ninja Turtle movie, but in alphabetical order.
Michelangelo says "And that's how they defeated the house that wouldn't leave." This is a skit from Saturday Night Live based on a house that overstays its welcome.
Casey says "cloaking devices. Are they Klingons?" This is a reference to the movie series Star Trek at which Klingons are a race of beings that have the ability to cloak their spaceships.
Leonardo mentions Bushido after Casey mispronounces it. Bushido is the Code Honor of Samurai, not Ninja. This is a reference to The Code Of Bushido.
8. Fallen Angel
The episode title is based on Lucifer, a fallen angel from the Bible.
Casey tells Angel that the warehouse is on the corner of Eastman and Laird, named after the Ninja Turtle character creators.
Michelangelo presses a remote control and the Battle Shell goes nuts. This is a reference to the James Bond (007) Tomorrow Never Dies, when BMW 750iL drives insainly around the airport.
9. Garbageman
This episode is based off an animated episode of Batman "The Forgotten" about a slob kidnapping homeless people and forcing them into slavery.
The line Leonardo says "it's quite, too quiet" comes from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II Secret Of The Ooze, in the junkyard scene and Leonardo says "it's quiet, a little too quiet."
10. Shredder Strikes, Part 1
The two mysterious guardians look at their medallions after talking to the council, and a symbol representing the Utroms can be seen.
The armor Shredder wears is a redesigned from the old series, and the two movies he appears in.
This episode and its second part is based on issue #1 of the original comic book series
11. Shredder Strikes, Part 2
This episode along with its first part is based on Issue #1 of the original comic book series.
Michelangelo calls Shredder the "Shredinator" at which he's referencing The Terminator movies.
Splinter defeats Shredder first, just like in the first original movie.
12. Unconvincing Turtle Titan
The first episode where a turtle fights and operates alone. In this case it's Michelangelo.
This episode is based off Issue #15 from the original comic book series.
The part where Michelangelo uses a grappling hook comes from the original 1987 Ninja Turtle animated TV series.
Malignus is modeled as Green Goblin from the movie Spiderman.
13. Notes From The Underground, Part 1
Fox Box used the promo title "Triple Play" for this episode and its second and third parts.
The episode title comes from a novella by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, and the main characters in the book resemble the same characteristics from "The Entity."
Michelangelo says the line "think a lot faster, or we're going to wind up a lot thinner," which comes from a quote from Star Wars IV A New Hope in the garbage compactor scene.
This episode appears in the 2003 video game.